Gabriel & Athena, Book One: Fate (A Wattpad Featured Story)

CHAPTER 15: SECRETS & SAVIORS

Chapter Soundtrack - Chapter 15: "Magic" by Coldplay

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Gretchen could immediately see the change in my mood when she picked me up the next afternoon. I brought her up to speed on the events from the previous night and secretly enjoyed her enthusiastic reaction to my sparkly gift from Gabe. As we drove with the top down, the wind blowing through our hair, I once again tried to find out what exactly the plan for the day was.

"Athena, can't you just sit back and enjoy yourself?" she cried.

"Am I at least dressed okay?" I asked, gesturing to my short-sleeved lavender tee and jeans.

"You look fine," she answered as she rolled her eyes. She glanced over at the star pendant hanging around my neck. "Your parents didn't see that, did they?"

"I made sure to hide it beneath my shirt this morning. A diamond necklace isn't exactly something my mother would miss."

"He definitely knows how to pick out a gift," Gretchen commented.

I traced the outline of the star with my finger. "Yeah, he does," I said thoughtfully, smiling to myself. As I looked to my right, I noticed we were headed out of Sparrow. "Gretchen, where are we going?" I asked. With Gretchen, anything was possible. I didn't know whether to be panicked or excited.

"We're spending the day in Durham," she revealed, her green eyes focused on the road ahead.

"And what are we going to be doing in Durham?" I pressed, giving her a cautious look.

She sighed. "You really don't like surprises do you?"

"That depends on the surprise?"

"If I told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise," she countered.

"Okay...since you know what the surprise is, and you know me, am I going to like this surprise?"

"Athena, if you don't like this surprise, I'm seriously going to stop being your friend," she warned.

"Can't you just tell me what it is?" I asked, my curiosity increasing with each nanosecond.

"Mm...okay, I'll tell you what we're doing first. We're going to the best spa in Durham for a little pampering."

"What?"

"You heard me," Gretchen crowed. "Massages, manicures, pedicures...the works."

"Are you kidding me?" I sputtered, wanting to throw my arms around her. "Gretchen, thank you! It's too much."

"Um...no thanks are necessary, really," she mumbled, a smirk on her face.

"What do you mean don't thank you? Thank you isn't close to being enough. Wow, between your gift and Gabe's and the laptop from my family, this birthday is going to go down in the history books."

"And the day hasn't even started," Gretchen teased. "Who knows what else is to come?"

"That's just plain mean," I said, narrowing my eyes at her, a sense of uneasiness washing over me.

"Maybe, but it sure is a lot of fun. Now, just enjoy the drive and think about the hours of relaxation awaiting us."

I did as I was instructed, knowing any effort to get more information out of her would be in vain. As we drove into Durham, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was. I had a great family, recent tension excluded, a fabulous best friend who genuinely cared about me and the most amazing boyfriend. I smiled to myself as I repeated the word in my head. Boyfriend. That was definitely something I hadn't expected having on my eighteenth birthday, but he was by far the best gift I had received.